Annother Suitcase, Another Hall
by emeraldeyes1990
Summary: Where is she going to? Rubbish summary I no : please like and review


I do not own anything; just enjoy both programme and film. I though of this when I had nothing else to do but lie in bed when I was ill… hope you like it. The lyrics in Italics belong to Madonna and the movie Evita.

Another Suitcase Another Hall

_I don't expect my love affairs to last for long  
Never fool myself that my dreams will come true  
Being used to trouble I anticipate it  
But all the same I hate it, wouldn't you?_

Margaret sat in her tent thinking 'where did it all go wrong'. Was it the way she was brought up? Moving from one state to another? Was it the fact that she was blonde and had blue eyes? That she was inexperienced in love, but excelled in sex? Margaret had just finalised her divorce with Donald, and was that thinking about the other men that had been and gone in her life; Frank Burns, Jack Scully the numerous amount of Generals. None of her other love affairs had lasted, would any in the future? They needed to, to make her dreams come true; the house, white picket fence, kids, dog, washer dryer, everything that a modern day women of the 1950's wanted.

She got up and paced the room 'TROUBLE' she shouted to herself when she caught her reflection in the mirror; trouble that's all she was and all she was ever going to be, she anticipates trouble because she knows it is there, and she hates it… hates it… wouldn't you, wouldn't anybody?

_[Margaret:]__ 'So what happens now?_' she asks her reflection_  
__[Voice in head:]__ Another suitcase in another hall  
__[Margaret:]__ 'So what happens now?'_ She repeats _  
__[Voice in head:]__ Take your picture off another wall  
__[Margaret:]__ 'Where am I going to'_ Where can I go…? She says sadly… dipping her head_  
__[Voice in Head:]__ You'll get by, you always have before _(looking up)_  
__[Margaret:]__ Where am I going to?_

Sat in the Mess Tent watching the passers by

_Time and time again I've said that I don't care  
That I'm immune to gloom, that I'm hard through and through  
But every time it matters all my words desert me  
So anyone can hurt me, and they do_

Margaret sat watching the unruly hustle and bustle of the 4077th Mess tent, again thinking…as she finds herself doing a lot lately. She had not long gotten out of a 18 hour OR session and she had fallen pretty hard on her nurses… but she didn't care; well he did really but her tough exterior gives out the impression that she doesn't and she not going to correct it. Time and time again she has said she didn't care… why change a habit? 'Major Margaret Houlihan' she said under her breath… who was that? Tough through and through Major Houlihan, immune to gloom, immune to everything. Margaret Houlihan she thought… where had she gone? She was the one who was lost when the Major took over.

After years or hurt, walls had been placed around her heart protecting it, hurting those before they hurt you. The tough Major was invented to stop the hurt, answering before they had a chance to finish what they were saying… cowardly really… not taking the full blow, 'but' she thought 'when I let things get to me, I loose my words, I don't say anything, and anyone can hurt me and they do. My walls will just stay where they are.

_[Margaret:]__ 'So what happens now?_' she thought_  
__[Voice in head:]__ Another suitcase in another hall  
__[Margaret:]__ 'So what happens now?'_ she says under her breath, Margaret Houlihan shining through_  
__[Voice in head:]__ Take your picture off another wall  
__[Margaret:]__ 'Where am I going to'_ _  
__[Voice in Head:]__ You'll get by, you always have before _Major Houlihan taking over_  
__[Margaret:]__ Where am I going to? _She gets up and walks back to the security of her tent, when she sees's Hawkeye and BJ making there way over to her.

Stood by jeep in Goodbye, Farewell and Amen

_Call in three months time and I'll be fine, I know  
Well maybe not that fine, but I'll survive anyhow  
I won't recall the names and places of each sad occasion  
But that's no consolation here and now._

Four men stood around watching her, one though of her as an extra daughter, another a sister he never had, another a dear friend and the last one… he didn't know what to think of her; friend, family, lover, enemy. What ever they felt they were all join in a protection over her. After hugging and kissing three of them, one was left. They looked at each other… ran… and kissed. When they broke apart, they looked into each other eyes; there was something new in each other eyes, not to themselves but to each other… love.

"Margaret" Hawkeye started, but she put a finger to his lips and hugged herself to him and whispered in his ear…

"Call in three month's time" she whispered "and I'll be fine"

"Margaret"

"Well" she said pulling back, but not out of the embrace "not completely fine, but I'll survive" she said smiling up at him. "I won't recall the names and places of each sad occasion" she said quite certain of herself, but she knew she would; especially Korea.

"Margaret"

"But that's no Consolation here and now" she said "I will remember you"

With that she slipped him a piece of paper, got in her jeep and drove away with only a wave for the four men in her life to remember her by.

_[Margaret:]__ 'So what happens now?_' she thought taking in the passing Korea country side_  
__[Voice in head:]__ Another suitcase in another hall  
__[Margaret:]__ 'So what happens now?'  
__[Voice in head:]__ Take your picture off another wall '_Fine another place to call home, another war zone… or could she take the chance to live in the States?'_  
__[Margaret:]__ 'Where am I going to'_ _  
__[Voice in Head:]__ You'll get by, you always have before  
__[Margaret:]__ Where am I going to? _She thinks of all the possibilities some scary some not so

Back in the States

Margaret was sat in the spare room of her parents home on the base that she and her dad had been assigned too. Well she hadn't really been assigned to it; her dad told her that that was where she was going. It had been three months since the war had ended and Hawkeye had not called, no one had called her, not even a letter. 'Oh well' she thought and got of the bed and over to the dresser and looked at the reflection… she had changed… she had cut her hair short, gone back to her natural blonde color and yet her lie hadn't changed. There was a knock at the door

"Come in"

"Maggie, can I speak to you?" asked her father, she nodded as he entered her room

"I have your new orders"

"MY WHAT" she shouted outraged "What you mean my new orders?"

"I've asked for you to be signed at an Army Hospital in Washington

Margaret sat there in disbelief, he was doing it again, choosing her life path's for her

_[Margaret:]__ "So what happens no?"_' she asks looking at the floor _  
__[Dad:]__ "Another suitcase in another hall" _Laughs Colonel Alvin Houlihan, story of our life Margaret_  
__[Margaret:]__ "So what happens now?" _She asked more forceful, staring at her father._  
__[Dad:]__ "Take your picture off another wall" _Alvin said, while looking at the pictures that Margaret had of her time at the 4077th, "pack them up Maggie, you leave in the morning"_  
__[Margaret:]__ "Where am I going to" _Margaret thought to her self, not the destination she knew what fate was she going to, a happy, successful life or miserable unsuccessful one_  
__[Dad:]__ "You'll get by, you always have before" _Said Alvin, as if her knew what Margaret was thinking. "You're a solider in the United States Army, you survive anything"_  
__[Margaret:]__ Where am I going to? _

_[Dad:]_  
_Don't ask anymore._

Said Alvin when he walked out of her room and closed the door. Margaret looked at her self in the mirror and hated what she saw. She buried her head in her hands and sobbed.

Downstairs the phone was ringing….


End file.
